Sympathy for the Devil
by Rosie-1864
Summary: Alternate Season 3. Before it started Julie Plec said "Over the course of the season, Elena will be struggling with a deep, deep attraction toward Damon. That's going to be a big problem for her." Two words: Road. Trip.


_**Once again I first wrote this in July 2011 when there was a lot more mystery surrounding season 3 and a lot less of this plot device around! So back in July I read an interview about Season 3 in which Julie Plec said the following: "Over the course of the season, Elena will be struggling with a deep, deep attraction toward Damon. That's going to be a big problem for her." It always comes as a bit of a shock when the TVD team verbalize "Delena" not least Elena's contribution. So I thought I'd write a fic in which our favorite non couple go on a save-Stefan hots-inducing road trip.**_

Damon and Elena had been on their own now for five weeks, two days and ten hours. She sighed looking at the time display on the dashboard in front of Damon. The speedometer showed just short of a hundred. Typical, she thought. Her gaze moved to his one hand gripping the top of the steering wheel, the other draped leisurely on the arm rest between them as if with the weight of his ring. He was only wearing one of his black t-shirts and Elena could see every movement in his arm as he tapped out a rhythm with his thumb against the now warmed leather of the wheel. She could see the veins of his forearms journey up passed his locked elbow and underneath his t-shirt. He was always bloody tapping. They were driving down the longest and straightest road in South Carolina state and she hadn't seen a sign of life for miles. In fact, the road ahead of her seemed not to have changed for so long that it had become hypnotic. He eyes had become comfortable watching the markings on the road disappear under his car and she only awoke from her reverie when her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was from Bonnie. It read simply: "Smile". And she nearly did. But she had nothing to smile about. She had looked over to Damon after looking at her phone to find him in this casual stance. Her eyes had travelled from his hands all the way to his face which seemed engulfed in a similar state of unconsciousness. The road reflected in his eyes that were as emotionless yet despaired as she imagined her own to be. Her phone buzzed again. Bonnie? ":)" The second buzz brought him out of his tarmac induced haze and his cornflower blue eyes caught hers. His lips curved upwards slightly and almost imperceptibly. She tore away from his gaze to look back at the road when she felt his hand in hers which lay next to his between them. He had a firm hold and she felt his his thumb stroking the skin beneath it. Soon enough the movement sent her into a deep sleep without her consent.

She was woken when he slipped his hand from hers. It was dark as he got out of the car and and refueled. She let her head fall back onto its rest at the base of the window and within moments he had returned, only this time he had a grocery bag on his lap.

"Care for some artificial colors, Elena?" he said reaching into the bag and putting a glaciated can of soda then a huge bar of Hershey's chocolate in her own lap. She hadn't thought about food or drink since... well, not for a while. And she hadn't noticed her hunger up until now. He sped off and back onto the highway as she ripped own the chocolate and put a whole row in her mouth, letting out a muffled groan of satisfaction. "Break me off a bit?" She passed him the chunks and he greedily ate them. "It's hard to believe i lived the better part of my life without this stuff. There's only one thing better than chocolate, and that's... bourbon. No, women. No, Jersey Shore!" he said playfully, glancing over at her for her reaction. She could help but giggle at this, spluttering slightly mid sip of sugary goodness.

"What about sex?" she said boldly. He raised his bottom lip and nodded in her direction, giving her that. They had slept, eaten and lived with each other for a long time, and they had bonded. Sometimes staying up all night talking about trivial but comfortingly ordinary things. Their parents, exes, bucket lists, philosophical rants, secret pastimes and even more secret life plans. Needless to say, the boundaries had been dropped. To an extent. She couldn't remember ever being this close to someone other than her best friend, ever having someone who had you completely figured out. Knew you inside and out. With his century and a half there was no way she could come close to competing with that depth of understanding, but she felt like she knew him better than anyone. She probably did. Stefan had seen him only sporadically since 1864 and he said himself "I have no friends." After Katherine made her dramatic entrance and exit with the cure she hadn't known what to say to him. Neither of them had mentioned the kiss. They both came to the conclusion that it was a moment of compassion, perhaps her inadvertently granting his dying wish. Sometimes she wasn't so sure. She often dwelled on the brief moments of intimacy they had shared. The first an angry and forceful affair that ended very badly, for Jeremy at least. The second a gentle, barely-a-kiss kiss. She found herself thinking sometimes that that couldn't be _it_ for them. Even if she didn't want to admit it, she knew they couldn't live out their lives without... something else. Something more. She had never wanted that before Not that she did now. Obviously. She was with Stefan. Wasn't she?

He reached across for the drink in her hand and took a swig himself. The shine lingered on his lips and she didn't realize she had been staring until he brushed it away with the back of his hand, vaguely smirking.

"How does a Best Western sound?"

"A treat compared to my last sleep." she said, rubbing her head where she was convinced a dent was developing from the door.

"Perfect." How she managed to fall asleep in the time it took him to navigate to the hotel was beyond Damon and Elena herself in hindsight. He gathered her in his arms and carried her into the hotel lobby. Setting her down with her still for the most part asleep and all her weight leaning into him he said "I need a a twin room for one night."

"Of course, sir." he replied checking the computer screen. "Unfortunately we have no twin rooms available. Or doubles for that matter. We do however have our premium Honeymoon suite, and for the inconvenience I can offer you a 10% off." He glanced down at Elena's serene face on his shoulder. Well, he thought, she'll be all the better for a higher thread count. He agreed and after being handed the key insisted he direct himself. He picked her up once more this time more infant than bridal style. It wasn't like there were any onlookers at this time of night, plus he wasn't sure about the imagery of carrying Elena across the Honeymoon suite threshold, so to speak. He opened the door to a burning log fire and charmingly miniature suite. One bed, figures. He decided he'd get their stuff from the car in the morning since he felt like he'd pass out any minute. He made to lean down so Elena's back would rest against the bed. He had expected her to do a sort of melting act, assuming she'd have some sort of subconscious magnetic pull towards the softness of the comforter. As it happens she didn't let go. The casual passerby would have seen a woman, eyes closed, legs wrapped around him and face buried in his neck. It might have been erotic if... ah, who was he kidding? Her legs refusing to let him go and soft sighs were driving him crazy. The last thing he wanted to do was wake her and risk her embarrassment but he couldn't stay between her legs all night, as much as he wanted to.

"Elena." he pressed, softly. No response. "Beautiful Elena." His name subsequently fell from her perfect lips and that was it. Maybe he could stay like this. Trying not to crush her under his weight he shifted her slightly so they were more on their sides.

By the time morning had broken and shone past the untouched curtains they had switched places but were no less tangled. She woke before him to find herself straddling the one and only Damon Salvatore. Sure she had woken up in his arms before, this wasn't the first time they'd had to share, but now her entire weight was supported by his torso. The first thing she saw upon opening her eyes was the stubble just under his chin which had felt rough against the tip of her nose. She had followed her vision to see her body completely merged with his. They seemed to both be in yesterday's clothes except she had somehow managed to get her hands underneath his t-shirt that's front had ridden up past the hard lines of his stomach. Her palms had journeyed even further. His belt buckle digging into her was an odd sensation but didn't hurt. He sighed deeply and she sunk slightly with the rise and fall of his chest. She basked in the therapeutic oscillations for several minutes and when he woke up to the feel of her cold hand returned to his rib cage she was once again fast asleep.

Damon drank in the situation, noting the sensation of Elena through no fault of her own rubbing her nose against his nine o'clock shadow that was developing, apparently a little more than he had realised, he thought, if it's soft enough for her to do that. He noted her position above him along with the fact that if he looked down to wear her chest met his a mouth watering display of cleavage had developed under her own weight, and silently thanking whatever deity that had prevented him from waking up with- Oh God. Too late. He cursed under his breath. Some God. She was sure to wake up with _that_ digging into her. There was only one thing for it. He grasped her upper arms and turned them over as smoothly as he could. Now that her legs were no longer locked around him he was free to escape, but the moment her back hit the mattress she ground her hips into his... pelvis. The strain against the denim of his jeans was actually pretty painful but he couldn't bring himself to move with her face tilted back and mouth open underneath him; an image he thought would pass him by. As her legs came back up threatening to trap him he quickly made my getaway, raising himself up on his hands and knees and taking one last longing look before jumping off the bed and shutting himself in the en suite bathroom.

She felt like something was missing. Not least warmth. She opened my eyes, seeing the room they had slept in for the first time. Typical of Damon to get such an elaborate suite for one night. She propped herself up on her elbows and replayed the night before to check for anything "out of whack" but, alas, found no fault in her apparent transfer from car to bed. Since she was on her back she hoped maybe she'd rolled away in her sleep before Damon had received an early morning gift.

She suddenly realized how badly she needed to pee and shimmied herself to the end of the bed spotting the bathroom door on her way. Nearly hopping over to it out of desperation. It was slightly ajar already and made no noise when she moved it but then she stopped in her tracks at the sight that met her: Damon standing with his back to her, head thrown back. She was about to make her presence known when she noticed the rhythmic movement of his shoulder. That was when she heard the word "Elena" tumble from his lips. She gasped involuntarily and the floor simultaneously creaked beneath her. "Elena!" he cried out, snapping his head to meet her eyes but it was momentary before they scrunched closed in ecstasy once more, he shuddered and reached his other hand out to the wall to support himself. Then there was silence. Suffice to say, it was pretty clear what had just happened.

"You know what? I think i'll use the bathroom downstairs."

"Wait, Elena-" he said. But she was gone. "Oh shit." he muttered, running his good hand through his hair.

**_Loosely inspired by one of the scenes in 'Blue Lagoon'(1980) with Brooke Shields. If you want more and think I should continue then leave a review and tell me! Thank you for reading!_**


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